


i keep running into strangers that say i know you

by missjmelville



Category: The Following
Genre: Alternate Season/Series 02, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Betrayal, Blood Kink, Canon-Typical Violence, Dubious Consent, Enemies to Lovers, Episode: s02e13 The Reaping, Everything is Beautiful and Everything Hurts, Fluff and Hurt/Comfort, Internal Conflict, M/M, Murder Husbands, Slow To Update, Stockholm Syndrome, Temporary Amnesia
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-01-09
Updated: 2019-01-09
Packaged: 2019-10-07 05:43:20
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,831
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17360129
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/missjmelville/pseuds/missjmelville
Summary: Dubious fluff to hardcore angst. Stricken with temporary amnesia, Ryan is holed up with Joe for two weeks and is convinced they are lovers, soulmates, best friends forever. As his memory returns, he must go back to hunting Joe down for the FBI but now everything is all mixed up, can he and will he do the right thing? But right by whom? Takes place mid s02e13 The Reaping with two weeks squeezed in before s02e14 Silence instead of a handful of hours and carries over to the season finale.He looked up at Joe and smiled a bright smile, it took Joe’s breath away that he hadn’t realised he’d been missing this, he hadn’t seen that smile since Winslow and warm nights by the fire drinking scotch and talking Poe. Even then it has been slightly dimmer, as if Ryan had been holding himself back even then. But here and now, he seemed uninhibited and genuine. Free.“We’ve been through a lot together,” Joe says, eyes on Ryan’s own, their gazes locked, “It saddens me that you can’t remember but I’m sure it will come back in time,” He moved forward just enough to pat Ryan’s knee comfortingly, “Now, how about breakfast?” he continued cheerfully, getting up from the bed and going out into the kitchen.





	i keep running into strangers that say i know you

**Author's Note:**

> This pretty much has it all, fluff, angst, love, sex, blood and betrayal. This diverges from canon about the time Ryan is caught in the Korban compound and is an alternate look at the last three episodes of season two and what would happen if:  
> 1\. Ryan was knocked unconscious when he was captured at Korban  
> 2\. From this head wound he developed temporary amnesia  
> 3\. Joe uses this to his own advantage  
> and  
> 4\. The time between everyone leaving Korban and then taking over the church is two weeks instead of a few hours. Because let's be honest, they probably needed way more time to prepare and I needed to have Joe and Ryan alone for a significant period of time to make everything more potent when Ryan's memories return.
> 
> Also this is unbeta'd so any mistakes are mine and mine alone, please don't hesitate to point out spelling or continuity errors if you spot them.

Life is full of surprises, Joe thinks, good and bad, but surprises nonetheless. That Ryan found him here at the Korban compound, well that was a bad surprise, that he came alone, that was a good one. Good or bad, only time would tell if it would be a surprise that was worth it. As he entered the room to give Ryan his prepared speech, he found the anticipation drain away as he took in the view that awaited him.

Ryan, unconscious, blood running down the side of his face and duct taped to the chair was not what he had expected. A sudden overwhelming fury enveloped him and a niggling of worry as he strode forward to ensure he was still alive. The pulse at Ryan’s neck thumped away steadily, he let out a slight breath at that, he was still alive, good, but whoever had risked him dying before Joe could talk to him, well they would pay dearly.

He took a moment to take in the unconscious man before him, Ryan looked quite peaceful if you took away the fact that his face was half covered in blood, his head lolled on his shoulder, his mouth slightly open, without the blood he could have simply been sleeping. A warmth spread through him at that thought, of waking up to this sight, Ryan asleep and warm next to him. He shook his head, it would never happen. Ryan would never let it happen.

Almost without thought he brushed his fingers through the hair at Ryan’s temple, he thought it should be soft but his fingers came away wet with blood. He scowled at the wound there, no one was allowed to hurt Ryan but him, no one was allowed to touch him but Joe! He wiped away a trickle threatening to run into Ryan’s eye and left three stripes of his fingers across his brow in its place. He’d always been bad about exploiting others vulnerabilities, with Ryan so soft and pliable in front of him, it was difficult not to give into the urge to dig his fingers into the wound, to pull Ryan apart with his bare hands. Open and exposed for him to see, just him, just Joe.

Joe took a step back and put some distance between them, he couldn’t allow temptation to take over. Without turning away, without his eyes leaving Ryan’s face, he raised his voice just enough that the guards would hear him.

“Bring me Robert, and the other one… Jason,” he hoped the name was correct, it sounded right but there were so many he never really could remember them all, it was one of the great things about having Emma at his side these days to pick up on the minutiae that Joe deemed irrelevant. Footsteps echoed in the hall getting fainter, soon he would show them all what happens when they don’t listen.

A few moments later his quiet contemplation of Ryan’s face was interrupted as the guard returned with Robert and Jason in tow, his anger simmered and grew as he finally turned around to face the two.

“Did I not make myself very clear?” He asked in a deadly whisper, Robert looked suddenly afraid, good. Jason on the other hand seemed self-assured, cocky and arrogant. 

“Did I not state that Ryan Hardy was to be brought to me, ALIVE?!” he shouted the last word and Robert flinched taking a step back looking distraught art possibly failing Joe. 

“Is he…?” Robert’s eyes flickered past Joe to take in the unconscious Ryan behind him. 

Jason had yet to make any sort of reply, he didn’t cower, he didn’t beg or plead for his life, in fact, he looked smug. He stared at Joe as if he thought he would be praised.

“He’s not dead, I just gave him a little reminder why he shouldn’t mess with us,” Jason replied finally into the silence that followed. 

Quicker than he could blink his life was snuffed out, Jason stumbled back, his hands going to his throat, blood spilled out around his fingers, he made a strangled gurgling noise and collapsed to the floor dead. The gunshot rang in their ears and Robert fell to his knees in supplication, hands held out to Joe, body quivering.

“I’m sorry, I’m so sorry Joe, please,” he chanced a peek up at Joe expecting to see the gun now pointed in his direction but it wasn’t, it hung by Joe’s side from loose fingers. 

“Clean this up,” he stated coldly, idly gesturing to Jason’s cooling body on the floor, “we go ahead as planned.”

Robert stood on shaky legs and motioned to the guards to come in and help who were hovering at the door since the gunshot to make sure everything was okay. They rushed in and dragged the body away while Robert left to collect the others. 

As he could no longer use Ryan in his scripted little play starring Preston Tanner, he dragged the chair, Ryan and all off to the side, if he woke during the display well more fun for him but if not, he would be well out of the line of fire so to speak. 

It all went off rather without a hitch, Preston cried and snivelled and protested but in the end, he ended Courtney’s life just as Joe had predicted. The filmed video was sent off with the first group to go to New York, when news of vehicles approaching was brought to his notice, whether it be the FBI or Lily’s people, it didn’t matter they had to leave.

Jason’s uncle had a cabin nearby, he left Robert in charge of transporting Ryan there and made his way to his room for a final once over to ensure he had packed everything he would need. Emma rounded on him the moment he was alone.

“Joe we need to leave now, kill Ryan Hardy and let’s go, we don’t have time for this,” her voice was grating, it was hard in moments like these for him to remember why he strung her along as he did, but she was useful and devout, the only one he could trust here besides himself. 

“Now Emma, we are leaving in just a moment but I will not be killing Ryan Hardy, he is still useful to us, now are you coming to the house or are you heading to New York with the rest?” He grabbed his back and hauled it over his shoulder, a quick glance at the security feed showed the cars almost upon them, they had to leave now.

Emma looked conflicted, she followed Joe as he left the room out the back and made his way towards the waiting car, Robert behind the wheel, Ryan slumped over still unconscious and duct taped up in the backseat. He threw his bag in the back next to Ryan and climbed into the passenger seat, he looked out the open door at Emma.

“Well?” he raised an eyebrow at her, she chose such awful moments to have crises he thought.

She huffed but climbed into the back, his bag separating her from Ryan who she eyed warily as if expecting him to wake up and make a grab for her at any moment. They buckled in and Joe closed his door, Robert didn’t need to be told to go and soon they were off and escaping. The sound of rapid gunfire echoing behind them made the adrenaline pump through Joe’s veins headily, he did always love escaping imminent danger so narrowly.  
Half an hour later they were pulling into the drive of the safe house, a dozen others mingled around the entryway waiting. They all smiled relieved when Joe got out of the car and as Robert unlocked the house and let them all in, they settled around in the lounge area.

Robert and Angela left then reappeared a moment later carrying Ryan inside, they took him down the hall and deposited him onto the first bed they came across, leaving him there, they rejoined the rest as Joe outlined his plans for them. They would go to the house in New York where the rest had already gone, they would meet them there and plan, gather resources and wait for his signal until it was time.

Slowly they all trickled out in half a dozen cars over the next few hours, until only Robert and Emma were left, it took quite a lot to convince Emma to go with Robert to New York, to leave him here with Ryan, but she was his lieutenant and the only one he trusted to keep the others on track. Robert was needed to help smooth things over with the few who still rankled at getting orders from someone so new. There was no other way around it.

It was dark outside and snow had started falling again, Robert politely excused himself from the awkward atmosphere to go check on Ryan who was still unconscious, Joe tried not to worry but it gnawed at him all the same.

“It is the only way this works Emma,” he stated and cupped her face in his hands all sincere and gentle, he always had to treat Emma like a frightened child, like spun glass, so fragile one wrong move would break her to pieces. She was strong where it counted but sometimes he wished he still had Roderick or Molly instead. 

She looked for a moment as if she were going to protest some more but then she sagged in his hold, her head tipping into his hands, the trust she showed in him then, well he could have ended her life with a quick twist if he so chose. 

“Fine, but if you don’t contact me at least every two days, I’m moving ahead with the plan and then coming to get you, alright?” her eyes were big and wet, such devotion overflowing in them, he nodded solemnly and pulled her in for a soft kiss. She melted into him and he held her close as he knew she liked. He would do whatever it took to keep her loyal to him.

They parted slowly and Robert returned eyes averted as he grabbed Emma’s arm and they left together. He waited until the engine could no longer be heard before he made his way into the bedroom where Ryan still lay, chest rising and falling steadily in the darkened room.

He took a few minutes to clean Ryan up with warm water and a soft cloth he found in the adjoining bathroom. Once the water was thoroughly red and Ryan’s face and hair were clean, he undid the duct tape restraints and tucked him into the bed soundly. 

He never meant to fall asleep in the bed with Ryan, he’d left to make himself some dinner, shower and get changed and then he’d simply come back into the room to check on the sleeping Agent but after checking his pulse and probing at the wound, he’d lain down next to him and fallen asleep to the soft sounds of their combined breathing.

When he woke up in the morning, sunlight streaming in through the half open curtains, it took him a moment to remember where he was and that the warm body curled up next to him wasn’t Emma. He opened his eyes to meet curious blue ones stating back at him. Their faces were so close, they had ended up sharing the same pillow sometime during the night but there was something off about the gaze and also the fact that Ryan was still there and hadn’t killed him in his sleep.

“Ryan, you’re awake,” he rasped out in mild surprise, he had half convinced himself Ryan was going to die in his sleep due to the head wound. Good one Joe, way to state the obvious, he thought mentally scolding himself for sounding so plebeian.

Ryan blinked and still there was a vacantness to his stare like he didn’t recognise Joe at all, he felt a shiver run down his spine at that, what if there was brain damage? He reached out to touch the wound which had inflamed overnight, possibly infected but Ryan flinched back then sat up abruptly before he leant over the side of the bed and vomited. Lovely.

He sat up and shuffled closer to Ryan on the bed, cautiously resting a hand on his back and leaning forward to watch him with concern. 

“You shouldn’t make any sudden moves, you got quite a nasty gash yesterday, you probably have a concussion,” The smell of vomit almost made Joe retch but he held it back and grabbed Ryan’s head to tilt it better into the light. It probably needed stitches, he thought, not something he was especially good at as he was much better at making the wounds than fixing them up but he was passable.

Ryan pitched forward as if he were about to vomit again and retched pathetically, nothing left to come out as he rested his head against his knees and moaned pitifully. Joe, realising he was no danger at the moment, left the room to go get some cleaning supplies and a first aid kit. He re-entered the room not five minutes later, arms laden with supplies to Ryan still in the same position.

“Here, drink this,” he handed over a glass of water and some antibiotics and pain meds which Ryan gratefully took and downed without hesitation. 

Marvelling at this wildly compliant injured Ryan Hardy, Joe set about cleaning up the vomit and leaving a bucket within reach should Ryan need it again. He opened the window a crack, freezing air blowing in and making them shiver but it quickly took the smell from the room and when goosebumps began to form on his arms he closed it again and sat down next to Ryan with the first aid kit in his lap.

“Sit still while I have a look, you might need stitches, I didn’t get much past cleaning it last night before bed but it might be infected, hold still,” he murmured soothingly as Ryan squirmed in his grip. He took a gauze wipe and some disinfectant and set about thoroughly cleaning the wound to the accompaniment of Ryan’s hisses of pain.

The scabbed skin broke open and he cleaned it all away to reveal the open wound beneath, blood leaked out sluggishly and with each swipe of the gauze, littles bits of dirt and plant matter came free. Once he was satisfied it was clean enough, he washed it out with saline and used a numbing gel he found in the first aid kit before setting to stitching Ryan up.

He was remarkably quiet and still the entire time, his hands clasped in his lap, his eyes staring blankly out the bedroom window. Once done, Joe wrapped the wound with a gauze pad and a bandage around Ryan’s head. He hadn’t done a bad job if he did say so himself.

“There, all done, how does it feel?” he sat back a bit, giving Ryan some space and so he could read his reactions better.

“Better, thanks,” Ryan rasped out, his throat dry and hoarse, he cleared his throat, drank some more water and tried again. “Where are we?” He asked into the silence between them, he turned his head to stare at Joe properly for the first time all morning.

“Who are you? What happened to me? Who am I?” he asked suddenly in a rush as if fearing if he didn’t ask now he never would. Joe was struck dumb by the questions, he tried not to gape but, no, he smiled, this was perfect. He softened his smile from utter glee to something more fond.

“We’re in Connecticut, my name is Joe, you hit your head falling down a ravine yesterday and you are, well, you are Ryan Hardy,” he watched Ryan’s face closely for any indication that this was all some elaborate ruse.

“Ryan,” he tested the name out on his tongue as if seeing how it felt. “And Joe?” he turned his head to face Joe, a silent question.

“That’s right, you are my best and dearest friend, I was ever so worried about you yesterday but I couldn’t get a doctor out here, I’m glad you are awake and well now,” he watched as Ryan touched absently at his bandaged head at the mention of a doctor.

“You didn’t do too bad,” he murmured and turned to sit more comfortably against the headboard of the bed. He looked up at Joe and smiled a bright smile, it took Joe’s breath away that he hadn’t realised he’d been missing this, he hadn’t seen that smile since Winslow and warm nights by the fire drinking scotch and talking Poe. Even then it had been slightly dimmer, as if Ryan had been holding himself back even then. But here and now, he seemed uninhibited and genuine. Free.

“We’ve been through a lot together,” Joe says, eyes on Ryan’s own, their gazes locked, “It saddens me that you can’t remember but I’m sure it will come back in time,” He moved forward just enough to pat Ryan’s knee comfortingly, “Now, how about breakfast?” he continued cheerfully, getting up from the bed and going out into the kitchen.

A few moments later he heard the shower turn on as he readied breakfast, there wasn’t a lot of fresh food available as most of it was canned or in jars, he found some bacon in the freezer and powdered egg in the cupboard, he tried not to wrinkle his nose in disgust as he toasted some bread and set to work. Five minutes later Ryan entered the kitchen, hair wet and bandage slightly damp, dressed in a shirt he must have found in the drawers, some blue plaid monstrosity that brought out his eyes beautifully.

After breakfast Ryan hovered behind Joe while he did the cleaning up and a quick peek out the corner of his eye told Joe that Ryan was building himself up to ask something. His brow was furrowed in concentration and he was pacing silently on bare feet.

“Oh would you just spit it out already,” Joe demanded more amused than annoyed as he turned around while wiping his hands dry on a tea towel. His lips quirked up in a small smile, Ryan had gone tense and still at Joe’s words but relaxed when it was clear Joe wasn’t actually angry.

It sent a dark thrill through Joe that even with amnesia Ryan knew to be afraid of an angry Joe, that some part of Ryan’s subconscious still saw him as a threat, as a danger. 

“We don’t live here,” he mused not a question but Joe nodded all the same, “none of the clothes here fit me,” he had started pacing again and looked up at Joe as if for confirmation and again Joe nodded.

“We’re stuck here,” he slowed to a stop and stared out at the flurry of snow that was falling outside, well on its way to a full blown storm, “because of the snow?” he looked back to Joe then.

“Yes,” Joe replied softly, wondering where Ryan was going with this.

“There are two bedrooms but we shared a bed last night,” he sounded almost accusatory, then, “you’re taking care of me,” he had stopped frowning now as if he had figured something out, “you said we’re best friends but it feels like, more than that,” he took a step closer to Joe now, “We’re a couple aren’t we?” He finished in a rush, cheeks pinking slightly.

Joe couldn’t help the grin that lit up his face, this was beyond perfect, he tempered it into something softer lest Ryan get a glimpse of the darkness within and panic. Before Joe could voice any sort of confirmation, Ryan, bolstered by Joe’s smile and obvious happiness continued on.

“We were on a trip, maybe, maybe our car got trapped because of the snow? We were walking for help and I fell in a ravine and hit my head, you helped me up and we found this cabin,” He had wavered a little in the middle with his speculation but by the end he sounded sure, as if this false narrative was the only one that made sense and explained their current situation.

“That is remarkable, are you sure you don’t actually remember?” he asked, playing the concerned yet joyous lover. He knew the real truth but Ryan did not and the story Ryan had settled on to explain things couldn’t have been better if he’d tried and because Ryan had come up with it, he was more likely to think it correct than if Joe had just told him outright.

Ryan smiled, soft and shy, something Joe had never seen from him before, had never thought he could be, he stepped closer to Joe and held out his hand for Joe to hold. He did so without hesitation and pulled Ryan closer, their bodies almost touching, warm breath mingling between them. It felt natural to hold Ryan like this and Joe pushed that thought to the back of his mind, he needed to keep in control.

“It just feels… right,” Ryan whispered into the warm air between them. His eyes flitting over Joe’s face, hesitating on his lips before flicking back up to catch Joe’s own eyes.

He didn’t hesitate, he couldn’t afford to arouse any suspicion, he chuckled softly, eyes crinkling and pulled Ryan closer with his other hand soft against his jaw and their lips met as effortlessly as breathing. It was soft and chaste, Joe projected comfort and fondness into the brush of their lips and felt how readily Ryan relaxed into his hold with a soft sigh.

Joe moved his hand from Ryan’s jaw to the back of his head, mindful of the wound and bandages and threaded his fingers through the hair there, tugging gently which elicited a full body shudder from Ryan and a barely audible gasp. Heat pooled in his belly, the kind of arousal he got from killing, only this seemed more illicit if possible, the fact that it was Ryan he was kissing, Ryan he was making gasp and shudder under his hands. 

He smiled into the kiss and reluctantly pulled back before he could escalate things further, he had to act like a concerned lover after all, it would be taking advantage to do anything more with Ryan in such a vulnerable state. He laughed internally at the irony.

Ryan’s eyes blinked open, a slightly dazed expression on his face before he broke out in a smile just for Joe, boyish and delighted. It made him look years younger and seemed to leech away the worn weariness he had always associated with Ryan Hardy of the FBI. It was breathtaking.


End file.
